Up Tempo faces Fiesty Cheetah

SASKATOON, Saskatchewan - Saturday's $25,000 Prairie Lily Sales Stakes, the richest race on the Marquis Downs stakes calendar, drew a field of six. Up Tempo and Fiesty Cheetah appear to be the logical favorites in the 6 1/2-furlong race, which is restricted to 2-year-olds who passed through the 2006 Prairie Lily yearling sale.

Up Tempo arrives from Northlands Park after winning his maiden at first asking on Aug. 10. Up Tempo, a half-brother to the speedy Ella Maria, wired the field over 3 1/2 furlongs when favored against $12,000 maiden claimers.

Fiesty Cheetah was impressive in winning her initial outing, scoring an eight-length victory in the Gold Strike Stakes here Aug, 3. Two weeks later, as the odds-on favorite in the Woodland Heritage, it was a different story as Fiesty Cheetah obviously disliked the muddy track and finished fifth, beaten almost 20 lengths.

Kellys Signal, who is also entered here, finished second in the Woodland Heritage but just 3 3/4 lengths ahead of Fiesty Cheetah.

A pair of colts, Gigs and Y. C. Rail, rate a long look to challenge the top pair. Gigs rallied well in the Western Heritage to be second to the unbeaten Brilliant Action, although he was seven lengths behind. Y. C. Rail has been absent since finishing a non-threatening third in the Harlequin Stakes on Aug. 4 in his only start.

Also on the card is the $10,000 Horizon Heritage for Saskatchewan-bred fillies and mares. Originally slated for Aug. 17 but rescheduled after rain and thunder necessitated the card's cancellation, the Horizon drew a field of nine led by Allourwishes.

Allourwishes won her allowance prep on Aug. 3 at Saturday's one-mile distance by three-quarters of a length.

Shadazzle and Picture the Answer, second and third that day, are the other top contenders.